Tuesday, 24 May 2011

Leave it all Behind

Time for another new painting, the first of two I've done with horses in it! Leave it all Behind is yet another painting that evolved while I was painting it (I don't go into much pre-planning...). I wanted something that would incorporate wind and movement, and a sense of moving forward. As I painted the leaves the title came to me, and it was then that I understood more about what I was trying to capture. The painting was clearly (to me anyway!) about one of those magical journeys where we sense we are moving forward in life. Old habits that hold us back, old troubles, and unwelcome difficulties are peeled away by a cleansing wind and fall like autumn leaves. Having served their purpose, we reach the point where we really can truly leave them all behind and look forward to new beginnings. The words around the border read:

Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine into flowers,
the winds will blow their freshness into you,
and the storms, their energy,
and cares will drop off like autumn leaves.

- John Muir

The prints were pretty tough to make because of the very subtle shades and tones of the horse and figure, and the use of different blues and indigos. Blue it always hard to get exactly right! But after a struggle I beat my colour adjustment filters into submission and have managed to produce prints I am happy with. So I now have lovely limited edition giclees available from my Galley Hill Art Website.